Kickstarter

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
- Henry Miller

Hi, I am Stacey Evans, a photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia.

I ride trains, the oldest form of mechanized transport in the world, capturing photographs and videos through the windows, creating an archive of the American landscape.

For me, travel is a tool to capture the continuing drama in my art: how we co-exist on this planet with other humans, the built environment and nature. On the train I can do this from a perspective many people never see.

Calmed by the rocking of a train and its closeness to the earth; I am able to focus on one thing, fleeting scenery. On board I constantly scan the landscape, fully aware I must catch that split second when all the elements align in a precise order, then vanish. I search for a connection to resonate beyond this shared moment. As an artist I seek, document and create experiences for my audience.

This August, I will embark on my longest journey yet.  I am asking for your financial support and offering you the opportunity to travel with me vicariously through updates and rewards.

This voyage starts in Charlottesville, Virginia and ends in Los Angeles, California. Riding over 62 hours, covering approximately 3100 miles; traveling west through 14 states: Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. From past experience, I know I will capture forgotten places, fields of dreams, discarded material and new frontiers, all along a path full of nostalgia and imagination.

Once the travel is complete, selecting, processing and printing for presentation of the results will begin. The initial exhibitions are already scheduled at Chroma Arts Laboratory in Charlottesville and an Artist-in-Residency program through Albemarle County School systems. As a patron you will receive updates about the progress of the project, your chosen reward and an invitation to shows.

For me, the best photography lies at the intersection of beauty and history; it has a special connection to the documentation of time and place. My goal is to unmask raw content. In that effort I am influenced by photographers who explore the geography and culture of America, such as Robert Frank, Walker Evans, Frank Goulke, Imogen Cunningham, Sam Abell, Sally Mann  and Jeff Brouws. In my research, I have seen only a small collection by Walker Evans of photographs taken from a moving train. I may be the first to photograph the American landscape in this style, to such a degree.  It will be a challenge and an honor.

Thank you for expressing interest in my work.  I would like to give a special thank you to Laura Jones, Rich Tarbell, Megan Huddleston, Beryl Solla, Laura Parsons, Rob Evans, Sharon Shapiro and John Grant. 

THE REWARDS

I love to make prints and buy art. This is an opportunity for us to share this   experience. In September, you will receive a request to order prints. All photographs are archival pigment prints made, signed and packaged by myself and my trusty assistant.

View more of my work at staceyevansphotography.com. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Music- Buffalo, track #3 on Great Big Fire-Show by Mister Baby.

Video by Rich Tarbell